Once you’ve taken the initial steps to fight against flooding–most importantly, knowing your flood risk and the level of precautions you may need to have in place–you can take more advanced steps towards preparing your home. The following measures can have a serious impact on preventing damage to your home in the event of a flood.
Add waterproof veneer to the exterior home walls.
Even a few inches of water inside your home can cause serious damage to floors, walls, and appliances. Adding waterproof veneer to your home’s exterior walls can play a big part in keeping shallow water from seeping into your home. The cost for waterproof brick veneer is usually about $10 per square foot, not including the cost of sealing doors and other openings. Using a licensed professional contractor is key to ensure compliance with building codes.
Anchor fuel tanks.
An unanchored fuel tank can tip over or float in flood waters, causing fuel to spill and even potentially catch fire. Cleaning up a home that has been flooded is made a more difficult and dangerous task when there is fuel in the water. An unanchored tank can also pose a threat to public safety if it is swept outside where it may cause damage to other homes.
Be sure to secure your fuel tank before a flood occurs. Anchor it to the floor using either a concrete base or straps and ground anchors. Depending upon the method you choose, this safety precaution should cost about $300 to $500.
Elevate all electrical wiring.
Fuse boxes, circuit breaker boxes, and other electrical components can be easily damaged by flood waters and can pose a serious fire hazard if flooded. Elevating these electrical systems can not only prevent such dangers, but can mean a working electrical system after a flood, which can help you get back on your feet much faster.
All electrical system components should be raised at least one foot above the projected flood level. A professional electrician should be entrusted with this job, as electrical equipment can be dangerous in inexperienced hands.
Raise or flood-proof HVAC equipment.
Your home’s furnace, hot water heater, and other heating, ventilating, and cooling (HVAC) equipment can be seriously damaged by water penetration. To avoid the cost and inconvenience associated with replacing HVAC equipment after a flood, take the precautionary step of elevating or floodwalling your equipment. Moving HVAC equipment to a higher floor of the house is the preferable method, but if that isn’t possible, a floodwall can be constructed around the equipment.
Unfortunately, flooding is not an uncommon occurrence. Take the necessary steps to protect your home and save yourself the headache and heartache that flood damage can cause.
Anthony is right i been in many water damaged property's and the water damage is horrendous, always check
Comment by kev on 2012-01-27 14:30:48
Flood can cause your property to ruin. First of all if you decided to buy a home i'd suggest to check if that area is in danger flood zone. Second - check storm chances in respective side. And lastly take all required precautions to minimize damage done by disaster. Or if you wish to skip all these advices you can pray :)
Comment by Anthony Taylor on 2011-09-30 16:36:48